Family is Forever

Chapter 45- fireworks night

Ali seemed pretty subdued all week. Ollie tried to give Ali some space when she needed it and support and smiles when she needed that too. Zosia was trying to look after Ali too but was struggling a little more. "Hey guys?" Ali asked Zosia and Ollie a few days later, after day treatment on Friday "Can i go to Elsie's tomorrow, I know I should be going to Gloucester to see mama but they're having a little party, well not really party just having some friends around for bonfire night since they live really close to the park so can see the fireworks. Would that be ok?" Ali asked nervously. "Of course, I'm sure your mama won't mind."

"Aliiii" Elsie smiled after answering her door the next day and enveloped Ali into a huge hug. She then saw Zosia and Ollie stood behind Ali. "Hi, I'm Elsie." She smiled in her cute bubbly voice. "You're Zosia right. I'm sure that I've seen you picking up Ali, which means that you must be Ollie. I've heard lots about you."
A smile played across Ollie's face. "All good stuff." Elsie assured him. A woman came to the door "Hello, I'm Caroline, Elsie's mother, you must come in for some hot chocolate."
"No it's" Ollie started,
"Don't be silly." Caroline smiled and ushered them in to the house. They were expecting hot chocolate powder and hot water but a man was stood at the stove heating milk and melted chocolate. "Nearly ready honey." He smiled lovingly at his wife. She went over to him and kissed him "mum, seriously in front of my friend." Elsie giggled. But they all knew she was joking. Caroline poured out the hot chocolate she told them all to sit down and gave everyone a mug. There were cream and marshmallows in the middle of the table for people to use if they wanted. "Hot chocolate guys!" Elsie shouted out of the French door at the back of the kitchen, two girls who were about 8 came in and 2 young teenagers. They all grabbed a mug and went back outside. Elsie sat down at the table with Zosia, Ollie, Ali, Caroline and the man. "I'm Kevin, Elsie's father and Carolines wife. Are you Ali's parents?" He asked with confusion in his eyes. "No, I'm Natalia's Sorry Ali's cousin Zosia and this is my boyfriend Ollie. She lives with us." Zosia smiled .
"They work at the hospital."'Elsie added whilst sipping her drink.
"Yes we are both surgeons."
"Wow" Caroline smiled. "I'm a TA at Rose's primary school and Kevin works in communications...not exactly brain surgery as people say."
"Well heart surgery." They all laughed. "What do you do in communications?" Ollie asked.
"Oh no, we'll have to go out before they start talking about work." Elsie giggled. She grabbed a blanket and some hats and scarves. And handed them to Ali. It had suddenly got colder since October had been very mild. Although Ali had a coat she didn't have a hat or scarf. So she borrowed some of Elsie's, they had a whole cupboard full. "They're Florrie's old ones. She got some new ones before uni." Elsie smiled as Ali wrapped the scarf around her neck and pulled the hat onto her head. They went outside. Rose, Megsie and their friends were all squished on the love seat so Ali and Elsie sat on the big chair that was like a sofa, Elsie wrapped the blanket around them "they'll start any minute." Elsie smiled.

Once Zosia and Ollie had escaped from Caroline and Kevin's questions they went out for a meal.  They loved having Ali around but enjoyed spending time together too. They decided on pizza express. Ollie noticed that all through the meal Zosia seemed rather preoccupied. He assumed she just had a lot on her mind worth Ali and Kaludia.

Once the fireworks started Ali was transfixed, she loves seeing the wonderful patterns in the sky. Her and Elsie were snuggled together under the blanket. One of the secondary symptoms of anorexia is being cold...all of the time. They both were mesmerised by the fireworks. The display was still going. "Hey, we have sparklers" Caroline said and the girls stood up. They were writing their names and drawing pictures with their sparklers. All the girls. Rose, Megsie, Elsie and each of their friends looked so happy. Caroline took lots of picture on her phone. "I've never done this before, it's like...like magic" Ali breathed. Once the girls had finished with 3 lots of sparklers and the display was over everyone went inside and watched a film. Rose chose Frozen and they were all singing along.
An hour or so later Zosia and Ollie were picking up Ali. "How was you're evening?" Ollie asked. "It was wonderful, have you ever used sparklers?"
"Yeah we used to when we were kids."
"Shall we go and see your mother tomorrow?" Ollie asked. "You know," Ali's face dropped "I haven't thought about Ricky all evening until now, tonight for the first time in ages, i felt truly happy.. and safe. I felt safe."